Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) Program Overview

Summary

The Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (POWER) program, funded by the National Science Foundation, aims to accelerate wireless networking innovations through large-scale testing and collaboration. The program supports four city-scale testbeds, focusing on technologies like 5G, dynamic spectrum sharing, and programmable networks. Researchers at these platforms work on groundbreaking areas like AI-driven network functions, open-source radio access networks, and massive MIMO optimization. By fostering partnerships between universities, industry leaders, and local governments, POWER is driving innovation to enhance wireless communication systems and maintain U.S. leadership in the sector.

Takeaways

• 😀 Advanced wireless technologies like 5G are revolutionizing connectivity, offering higher capacity and lower latency for near-instantaneous information exchange.
• 😀 5G is just the beginning; engineers are exploring technologies beyond 5G, including spectrum sharing, network automation, and managing complex networks.
• 😀 The National Science Foundation launched the Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) program to create city-scale testbeds for wireless networking research.
• 😀 The PAWR program is supported by $100 million, with equal funding from the National Science Foundation and an industry consortium of leading companies.
• 😀 Collaboration is crucial for the success of the PAWR program, involving universities, local communities, the private sector, and federal agencies.
• 😀 The PAWR testbeds provide real-world outdoor testing environments, helping to move research from theory to practical, commercial applications.
• 😀 Four key platforms within the PAWR program focus on different areas of wireless research, including programmability, spectrum sharing, and dynamic networking.
• 😀 The Powder platform in Salt Lake City is focused on end-to-end programmability, open networking, dynamic spectrum sharing, and massive MIMO arrays.
• 😀 The Cosmos platform in New York City focuses on programmable networks, millimeter wave technology, and dynamic spectrum sharing.
• 😀 The Airport platform in North Carolina specializes in wireless communication between drones and ground systems, as well as dynamic spectrum sharing.
• 😀 A future rural testbed will focus on wireless networks for low-density areas, aiming to lower costs and expand wireless reach in rural communities.
• 😀 The PAWR program also manages industry partnerships, offers technical integration assistance, and helps bring new resources like the FCC's innovation zones for spectrum research.
• 😀 The Coliseum, the world’s largest wireless network emulator, supports advanced research by enabling AI-driven spectrum resource allocation and sophisticated simulations.

Q & A

What is the main goal of the 'Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research' program?

The main goal of the program is to create city-scale test beds that accelerate fundamental research into wireless networking technologies, helping to transition research from theory to practical applications.

What is the total funding for the 'Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research' program?

The program is supported by a total of $100 million in funding, with $50 million from the National Science Foundation and $50 million in cash and in-kind contributions from an industry consortium.

Which organizations co-lead the Power Project Office (PPO)?

The Power Project Office is co-led by US Ignite and Northeastern University.

What is the role of industry consortium members in the program?

Industry consortium members contribute equipment, software, and expertise to the Power platforms, helping to uncover new opportunities for innovation and development.

What are the key principles that the Power testbeds must follow?

The testbeds must be open and programmable at multiple levels, enable reproducible experimentation, and support a diversity of wireless research experiments.

What specific research area does the Powder platform focus on?

The Powder platform focuses on end-to-end programmability, including open networking, software-defined networking, dynamic spectrum sharing, and massive MIMO arrays.

Where is the Cosmos platform located, and what is its research focus?

The Cosmos platform is located in West Harlem, New York City. Its research focus includes programmable networks, millimeter wave technology, optical backhaul, and dynamic spectrum sharing.

What is the primary focus of the Airport platform in North Carolina?

The Airport platform focuses on wireless communications between drones and ground-based systems, as well as dynamic spectrum sharing.

What is the research focus of the rural testbed to be announced in 2021?

The rural testbed will focus on expanding rural broadband connectivity by experimenting with heterogeneous wireless networking technologies to decrease the cost and extend the reach of wireless networks in low-density geographic locations.

How does the Power program enable collaboration across the various stakeholders?

The program enables collaboration by involving university researchers, local communities, the private sector, and federal agencies. The collaboration is crucial to ensure effective deployment and testing of new wireless technologies in real-world environments.

What is the significance of the Coliseum network emulator in the Power program?

The Coliseum is the world's largest wireless network emulator, developed to support DARPA's Spectrum Collaboration Challenge. It is now part of the Power program, serving as a key resource for researchers in testing complex wireless networking scenarios.

How does the Power program support research with remote access?

The shared facilities of each Power platform, including hardware, software, compute power, and connectivity, are paired with an online remote access system that allows researchers from anywhere in the country to experiment on the testbeds.

What are the main areas of research currently underway on the Power platforms?

Early research areas include AI-enabled network functions, open-source radio access network (Open RAN) development, massive MIMO optimization, dynamic spectrum management, and more.